Spiro's article today

[Inside Shoulder]

It's not that hard is it.

Deans should have kept George Smith, Stirling Mortlock, maybe Phil Waugh and have Nathan Sharpe more involved. How many RWCs do you have to see before you realise that having that experience in your team is simply invaluable. Talent, training, preparation, money, whatever you want to list.....none of it can replace big game experience.

I've always thought that Graham Henry should have found some way to get Tana Umaga back for the 2003 RWC.....

The 2003 coaches were Mitchell and deans......wtf?


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[TheNextBigThing]

He means 2007. Tana played in 2003 but got injured in the pools.

 

[Bullrush]

The 2003 coaches were Mitchell and deans......wtf?


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Hehe...I meant 2007.

But Deans and Mitchell should have played Umaga in 2003 as well. One reason I was happy to see RD NOT get the AB job.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Hehe...I meant 2007.

But Deans and Mitchell should have played Umaga in 2003 as well. One reason I was happy to see RD NOT get the AB job.

Umanga ruptured an ACL during the 2003 tournament....what conceivable role could he have played?


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[TheNextBigThing]

Didn't they pick macdonald over him for the semi, and that was one of the reasons Mitchell et al were thrown under the bus?

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Umunga ruptured in the pool games as I recall


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[TheNextBigThing]

I know. i think he was available for the semi but overlooked.

 

[Bullrush]

Umunga ruptured in the pool games as I recall


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He was ready to play in the semi. Passed fitness test etc. He asked to play - wanted to play. Who would you play in centre? McDonald or Tana? Not to mention that Mils actually played most of the Super season at fullback that year for the Blues from meory. The Blues won that year.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

He was ready to play in the semi. Passed fitness test etc. He asked to play - wanted to play. Who would you play in centre? McDonald or Tana? Not to mention that Mils actually played most of the Super season at fullback that year for the Blues from meory. The Blues won that year.

Having ruptured both mine: I wouldn't play anyone with a ruptured ACL unless he had very incriminating pictures of me


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[Bullrush]

From Wikipedia:

The opening match of the tournament was to be the All Black's last Rugby World Cup appearance. In an attempted back line move, Umaga collided with star Five-Eighth Carlos Spencer. Spencer came out unhurt but unfortunately Umaga suffered a damaged posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and was forced to leave the field. Tana would not be play again in the tournament despite being declared fit to play in the semi-final by then All Blacks doctor John Mayhew

 

[Slim 293]

Mortlock may have the experience, but he's hardly good enough anymore to be in consideration...

 

[Bullrush]

Mortlock may have the experience, but he's hardly good enough anymore to be in consideration...

And what did McCabe and Fainga'a offer that was so much better??

I contend that Mortlock's experience should have pushed him ahead of at least one of these guys.

 

[TheNextBigThing]

Mortlock may have the experience, but he's hardly good enough anymore to be in consideration...

I agree totally. Waugh falls into the same boat for mine.

There are better examples of people given the flick prematurely though. Baxter had his best season in years and the Tahs munched everyone except the crusaders at scrum time.

 

[Slim 293]

And what did McCabe and Fainga'a offer that was so much better??

I contend that Mortlock's experience should have pushed him ahead of at least one of these guys.

Defence at least...

Mortlock's defensive abilities have also diminished in recent times...

Also, Mortlock runs about as fast as our frontrowers these days... He's looked off pace for a few seasons now...

 

[Bullrush]

Defence at least...

Mortlock's defensive abilities have also diminished in recent times...

Also, Mortlock runs about as fast as our frontrowers these days... He's looked off pace for a few seasons now...

I didn't get to watch him as much as I wanted to this season so I'll take your word for it.

I will say this though....as an AB fan, I really hoped that Deans would over-look him. Just having him in the squad would have been a bonus for the Wallabies I reckon. People have commented elsewhere how players put on the AB jersey and seem to step up despite their Super Rugby form. I think Mortlock would have done the same.

 

[gone]

He was ready to play in the semi. Passed fitness test etc. He asked to play - wanted to play. Who would you play in centre? McDonald or Tana? Not to mention that Mils actually played most of the Super season at fullback that year for the Blues from meory. The Blues won that year.

FFS Wikipedia is wrong. Go read tana's book - he says in there that he wasn't fit and that he would have picked nonu.

 

[fatprop]

Mortlock was terrible all season, Waugh was decidedly average after coming back from injury & Smith left because of Pocock

 

[Bullrush]

FFS Wikipedia is wrong. Go read tana's book - he says in there that he wasn't fit and that he would have picked nonu.

I have read his book and from memory, he said he was good to go.....it was ages ago so my memory mite be mixing books up....lol

 

[Bullrush]

Mortlock was terrible all season, Waugh was decidedly average after coming back from injury & Smith left because of Pocock

I did see a few of his games and he wasn't that bad. How good did Nonu or Conrad Smith look in Super Rugby??